Multi-panel flood barrier systems, also referred to as “stop log” systems, are known in the art, and are used to protect structures against flooding. Current systems may suffer from various drawbacks and disadvantages. For example, in many situations, such flood barrier systems need to be deployed relatively quickly, yet the various components of such systems may not be well adapted to quick installation for any number of reasons, ranging from being excessively heavy, complex, manual-labor intensive, or simply not being versatile enough to conform to the particular requirements of the structure to be protected. Whatever the system, it is likewise important for these systems to have as little “leaking” as possible and to otherwise be effective at preventing flood water from infiltrating past them and coming into contact with the building to be protected.
The foregoing potential drawbacks are often a function of the lengths of the barriers being installed, so any such drawbacks and installation inefficiencies are only magnified as the distance a stop log barrier is deployed increases, such as occurs over multiple courses of stop logs or in multiple locations. As such, seemingly insignificant installation steps, weight, inflexibility, or other limitations become multiplied, thus compounding delays and complexity many times over.
Efforts to simplify floor barrier systems are often hampered by the need for such systems to be effective at keeping out flood waters. For example, when multiple components are deployed in anticipation of a flood, such components need to be sealed in such a way that they not only conform to the topography of the opening or structure to be protected, but that they resist leakage at critical junctions at or between components of the flood barrier system.